Riley Matthews
Riley Matthews is the protagonist of Girl Meets World. ''She is the twelve-year-old daughter of Cory and Topanga, and the older sister of Auggie. She is the eldest child of the Matthews family, with her brother Auggie as the youngest. Her father is also her seventh grade history teacher. Riley's best friend is Maya Hart, and she eventually befriends Lucas Friar, whom she has a crush on. She's friends with Farkle Minkus, who is open to have crushes on both her and Maya. She is portrayed by 'Rowan Blanchard. Personality A lot of Riley's personality is taken after her father, Cory. Riley is a bubbly and outgoing person, but she sometimes has her embarrassing moments, which are usually funny. Like Cory, she is insanely quirky and slightly awkward. However, unlike Cory, she loves homework. Like most siblings, she is annoyed by her younger brother, Auggie, but she still loves him. In the pilot episode, she tries to be like her rebellious best friend, Maya, much to her father's dismay. However, she always learns from her actions, as seen in the episodes. History Season 1 Girl Meets World After Cory tells Riley to make the world her own and become her own person, she takes on a rebellious streak as she tries to be like Maya. However, Maya ends up getting into trouble, and since Riley is caught up in trying to be like her, she doesn't help Maya out of trouble. In the end, Cory teaches Riley that the best thing she could do for Maya is to be herself and to help Maya out of trouble. Meanwhile, Riley and Maya meet a boy on the subway, and they later learn that the boy, Lucas Friar, will be going to the same school as them. Riley quickly develops a crush on him, which lasts for the next few episodes. Girl Meets Boy When Riley gets carried away with her phone (she texts Lucas and Maya, even though they are right next to her), Cory gives the class an assignment: to find out whether new technology made them better people. As well as assigning this, he takes away their phones and instructs them to do their research at the public library. Since Riley's phone is taken away, she is forced to communicate face to face with Lucas by talking to him. Things start out awkward, but the two eventually strike up a conversation, and the end, Riley learns more about Lucas, things she wouldn't have learned if she just kept texting him. She also learns that life and friends don't happen on a screen, but by talking and listening to other people. Girl Meets Sneak Attack After seeing Missy Bradford flirt with Lucas, Riley gets jealous and enlists Farkle's help in learning how to flirt. She tries to keep Lucas and Missy apart, not stopping even when Missy asks Lucas out to see a movie. Riley even purposely got into detention with Maya. However, Lucas surprises everyone by asking if Riley, Maya, and Farkle could join him and Missy at the movie. When Missy tries to tell him it was a date, Lucas turns her down, saying that he'd rather spend time with his friends. In the end, Lucas, Riley, Maya, and Farkle learn that for the moment, friends, not dating, are important, and that there's no need to rush with growing up. During this, Auggie was also going through a phase of wanting to grow up. However, at the end of the episode, Riley told him to hold on to Mr. Googly, because he's Auggie's friend and that he loves him. When Auggie asks Riley if she wants a goodnight kiss, he tells her that she has to catch him. Girl Meets Father When Riley's first dance is on the same day as her father-daughter tradition with Cory, which is to go on a roller coaster ride, she tries to convince her dad to let her go to the school dance. At first, he declines, but eventually, he lets Riley go - except that he'll be chaperoning. While dancing with her father, she and Cory realize that not going on the roller coaster doesn't mean the end of their Daddy-Daughter story - their traditions will only evolve through the years, but it will never end. But, as Lucas put it, sometimes they'll need "a guiding hand with your best interest at heart." Meanwhile, Maya gets an F on a test, and she declares that she doesn't need to go to school anymore, because she's a failure and doesn't need to learn anymore. Riley tries to convince her to come back to school, but it's not until Riley and Cory sit down with Maya and discuss the test that she agrees to come back to school. Girl Meets the Truth Instead of telling Farkle the truth about his acting skills in their school's production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Riley lies so she won't hurt her feelings. Maya disagrees with this, and tries to convince Riley to tell Farkle the truth about his acting. Even when Farkle decides to quit Chess Club and Chemistry Club at school, Riley still refuses to tell the truth. Only when Topanga uses Auggie to teach Cory a lesson on truth does Riley tell Farkle the truth. Near the end of the episode, Riley and Maya find Farkle on the stage, disappointed that he wasn't meant to be an actor and that Riley lied to him. They make up, and Farkle gives Riley her first kiss, which she is humiliated about. After Farkle leaves, Lucas shows up, disappointed that Farkle always ruins his moments. However, he acknowledges that when his moment will come, it will be his moment. Meanwhile, Riley tries to find out where Maya got the gold heart-shaped locket, and she later finds out Maya claimed it at the Lost & Found. She tries to convince Maya to give it back, but Maya refuses to give up the locket, mainly because her father never sends her anything. However, Maya learns what she should do after Auggie talks to Cory about truth. Later, Riley and Maya go down to the subway and find the locket's owners, and Maya gives back the locket. Appearance Riley has brown hair and brown eyes. She usually curls her hair, but sometimes leaves it straight. The clothes she wears reflects her personality which consist of bright colors with a girly touch. She is usually seen wearing boots. Relationships Family '''Cory Matthews Besides being Riley's seventh grade history teacher, Cory is also a loving father to Riley. In the pilot, he encouraged Riley to make the world she was living in hers, but promised that he would be there if she needed him. Throughout the episodes, he also teaches and advises Riley and her friends. Like any father, Cory is also protective over Riley, which is seen whenever Riley and Lucas, her crush, are together. In "Girl Meets Father", Cory and Riley share a father - daughter dance. 'Topanga Matthews' Topanga is Riley's mother. Riley is closer to her mother than her father. Topanga usually takes Riley's side when there is an argument between Riley and Cory. Riley loves to have talks with her mother and knows that she can go to Topanga if she needs help with anything, like in "Girl Meets Father", when Riley asked Topanga if she could have some make-up. 'Auggie Matthews' Auggie is Riley's younger brother. He thinks that they're twins so he does the same things that Riley does. Sometimes, Riley and Auggie learn the same things, such as in "Girl Meets Sneak Attack". However, Auggie also likes to listen in on Riley's conversations, as shown in "Girl Meets Father". In the end though, Auggie and Riley have a good sibling relationship. 'Eric Matthews' Eric is Riley's paternal uncle and her father's older brother. 'Alan Matthews' Alan is Riley's paternal grandfather. 'Amy Matthews' Amy is Riley's paternal grandmother. 'Morgan Matthews' Morgan is Riley's paternal aunt and her father's younger sister. 'Joshua Matthews' Joshua is Riley's paternal uncle and her father's younger brother. 'Jedidiah Lawrence' Jedidiah is Riley's maternal grandfather. 'Rhiannon Lawrence' Rhiannon is Riley's maternal grandmother. Friends 'Maya Hart' Best Friends Maya is Riley's best friend. Although they are very different from each other, the two are extremely close and very loyal to each other. Riley typically lets Maya in through her bedroom window so they can talk. 'Farkle Minkus' Good Friends Farkle is Riley's friend. Farkle has had crush on Riley since 1st grade, but Riley doesn't feel the same way. Farkle compares Riley to the sun. 'Lucas Friar' Good Friends/Crushes Lucas is Riley's friend and love interest. Riley has a crush on Lucas from the start when she saw him on the subway. As shown in "Girl Meets Boy", it is shown that they have a strong connection. Although she isn't sure she is ready for a relationship, she doesn't like Lucas being around other girls, as shown in "Girl Meets Sneak Attack". At the end of "Girl Meets Father", Lucas and Riley share a slow dance. Lucas is beginning to show that he also may have a crush on Riley, especially in "Girl Meets the Truth", where Lucas almost kisses her (even though it's only for a play). At the end of that episode, he acknowledges that when his moment comes, it'll be his moment. Enemies 'Missy Bradford' Missy is Riley's enemy. Riley was immediately jealous of her because she was flirting with Riley's crush, Lucas, even asking him out on a date to see a horror movie in the episode "Girl Meets Sneak Attack". When Riley warns Lucas about being alone with Missy, Missy purposely gets herself and Lucas in detention, therefore being alone with him. Later, Riley gets detention too, after she did something to make her father give her detention. However, during detention, Lucas declares he'd rather spend time with his friends than going on a date with Missy. Disappointed at this, Missy tells the group to grow up, and Riley refuses, at least for the time being. Quotes Trivia *Riley is closer to her mother, Topanga, rather than her father, Cory. *As revealed in "Disney That's Just Who I Am" Rowan Blanchard, her portrayer, is just like Riley Matthews in real life. *Riley was originally the Matthews' second child, after Elliott Matthews and before Auggie Matthews, but when the writers decided that there should only be two children, Riley became Cory and Topanga's eldest child. *She shares strong similarities with her dad, such as his quirkiness. *Her best friend is Maya Hart. *She has a crush on Lucas Friar, a new student who is from Texas that she met on the subway. *She wanted to be like Maya. *Riley admits to loving Farkle as a friend, but not as deeply in the way that he claims to love her. *She does not like that Cory is her teacher. *It is possible that the name "Riley" might have been inspired by the name of frequent BMW guest star Blake Soper's Indie Rock band "Rilo Kiley ." *Riley was invited to the geek party in Girl Meets Popular similar to Cory in Boy Meets World. 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